Coín (pronounced 'Co-Inn') tends to be overlooked by most tourists that visit the Costa del Sol, disembarking at Málaga airport and making straight for the bright lights of the coastal resorts. The Spaniards and expats who call the Costa del Sol home know better, of course.

A day trip to Coín is always something to be savoured. The town's traditional beauty, Andalusian authenticity and breathtaking location make it extremely easy on the eye, and the wallet. But suggest living there to those expats who are accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle and the chances are they’ll dismiss it as being ‘too quiet'.

No smoke without fire and all that, but Coín is really not the sleepy little backwater that it is sometimes made out to be and has a large and thriving expat community living there.

On the outskirts of Coín, there are several highly sought-after residential estates comprising large detached villas – most with their own private pool – attractive semi-detached properties, modern townhouses and well-appointed apartments, all surrounded by the beautiful countryside for which this idyllic corner of Andalucía is renowned. In the centre of town itself, there are not too many new-build homes to choose from, although traditional townhouses and flats are beginning to attract the attention of British and other foreign buyers.

Coín's location and the architectural makeup of the town has had to bend to the whims of the steep terrain. Yet there's a reason for this location – vegetation and water source. Coín sits on a settlement that is older than antiquity, and was once a Roman centre where marble – as well as citrus, olive, cork and almond cultivation – was the catalyst for its growth.

Today, the citrus and olive groves remain, blanketing the hills that form Coín's natural boundary, and a majestically pretty sight under the intense Mediterranean sunlight. Such rural beginnings have helped make Coín the town it is today. The fertile valley is fed by a number of fresh water streams, which were cultivated in the 15th and 16th century into a number of lovely fountains that are still evident along the town's narrow streets and adorable plazas, making strolling around Coín a pleasure in itself.

At the main Plaza Alameda, captivating cafés jostle for your custom as they spill out onto the square; the shaded seats are naturally snapped up first during the balmy summer months. Dining in Coín is memorable thanks to its excellent selection of restaurants, many serving a range of regional dishes that will not be found anywhere else on the Coast, while pretty much every drinking establishment has an intriguing selection of tapas, making Coín a surprisingly rich destination for a tapas tour.

While tradition abounds throughout Coín, the La Trocha shopping centre on the outskirts has a number of large chain stores and a garden centre; there are car dealerships lining the main road entrance into the town, and internet cafés populate pretty much every street in the centre of town. Additional amenities include a number of grocery stores, two branches of Barclays Bank, several veterinary clinics and a gymnasium and sports centre.

On the outskirts of Coín, some of the region's finest hiking and mountaineering trails can be found, including the La Fuente and El Charco del Infierno forests. For those seeking more rigorous activity, the Costa del Sol's only recognised paintball centre is just a few kilometres away, and run by a British expat couple, naturally!

You're going to have to do things the Spanish way here, which means massively adjusting your timetable. Dining out is inexpensive and a great social event, so try to ignore the rumblings in your stomach around 7pm, hold on, then head out at 9pm and enjoy a lengthy sit down meal that will likely start around 10pm and finish some way past midnight. The notion of 'on the go' or 'fast food' is largely lost on Spaniards, particularly in a place so purely Andalusian as Coín.

With scores of gorgeous tapas bars and bodegas plus a couple of British and Irish bars dotted about the town, finding a place for a beer, a glass of wine or a snifter of the local fino sherry couldn't be easier. Additional night-time pursuits could revolve around a trip to the seven-screen cinema at La Trocha, or a moonlit stroll at the recently renovated Nacimiento Spring, complete with artificial lake, well-lit parkland and al fresco cafeteria.

We're here to help you

If you've decided to buy a home on the Costa del Sol, but you're not quite sure where, our brief and independently written area guides are a great place to start. But between us we know the region inside out, so whatever you'd like to know, just ask. It's what we're here for!